Bearing support



Jan. 28, 1947. J. A. JOHNSON BEARING SUPPORT Fund nov. 2s. 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 1 .Einf/ Mun., Y

Jan. 28, 1947 J. A. JOHNSON BEARING SUPPOIZIT med Nov. 2s, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Planted Jen. as, 1941 BEARING SUPPORT John Algot Johnson,Wauwatosa, Wis., asslgnor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company,Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application November 23,1942, Serial No. 466,549

l 8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to bearing structures and moreparticularly to the manner oi' and means for supporting, lubricating andcooling bearing structures subjected to high operating temperatures.

The invention is particularly applicable, although in no manner limited,to the bearing supporting the exhaust end of the rotor in a compact gasor other high temperature elastic fluid turbine, since in such machinesthe bearing and its supporting structure lare .usually surrounded and/orcontacted by high temperature surfaces and/or uids and as a result suchbearings frequently fail due to insuillcient lubrication caused by abreak-down of the lubricant under the prevailing high temperatures anddue to the misallnement of the bearing produced by the relativeexpansion, excessive stressing and deformation of the supports therefor.

'I'he primary object of this invention is to provide an improved bearingsupport which will entirely eliminate overheating of the bearing and themeans supporting same, thereby avoiding the aforementioned causes ofbearing failure.

In accordance with this invention, the hereinbefore stated object may beaccomplished in whole or in part by a construction embodying one ormoreV of the following features: (i) a rotor,

(2) a bearing rotatably supporting said rotor, (3) means dening acooling duid space interposed between and shielding said bearing fromthe adjacent blade carrying portion of the rotor, (4) a shell enclosingand forming with said bearing a surrounding cooling fluid passagecommunicating with said space, and (5) a plurality of radially extendingfluid conducting supports mounting said bearing, said cooling fluidspace defining means and said shell, said supports embodying therein aninner lubricant conveying duct communicating with said bearing and outersurrounding cooling uid conveying duct communicating with said space.

The invention accordingly consists of the various features ofconstruction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts as ismore fully set forth in the appended claims and in the detaileddescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in longitudinal section, of a turbineembodyingV the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line II-II of Fig. l; and

Fig:i 3 is a section taken on line III-III oi' Fig.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it

2 is seen that a turbine structure embodying the invention may include arotor having ooaxially spaced shaft portions I and 2 and an intermediateblade carrying portion I. a casing I surrounding the shaft andintermediate rotor portions I and 3, respectively, bearings 6 and 1 cargried by said casing for rotatably supporting the shaft portions I and 2of said rotor, and a plurality of supports for said casing comprising,leg portions B and base portions 9 adapted to be bolted or otherwisermly secured to a suitable foundation (not shown). The leg portions B ofsaid supports are welded or otherwise secured to an intermediate flangedportion II of the casing l, thereby leaving the portions of said casingon either side of said intermediate portion, that is, the exhaustportion i2 and the inlet portion I3, substantially free to expand andcontract longitudlnally with respect to said intermediate portion. Thebearing B is interconnected with and supported from the exhaust portionI 2 of the casing I by means of a plurality of radially extendingtubular members designated I4. IB and I1, and the bearing 1 isinterconnected with and supported from the intermediate flanged portionII of the casing by means of a plurality of substantially identicalradially extending members IB The exhaust portion I2 of casing 4embodies an intermediate radially extending flange I9 and an outwardlyextending end strengthening flange 2|. The tubular support I4 for thebearing B extends outwardly through the casing portion I2 at a pointadjacent and ln abutting relation to ,the flange I9 and is formed byspaced inner and outer coaxial tubular fluid conductors 23 and 24forming therebetween a cooling fluid passage 26 which is sealed at itsouter end by an annular sealing and spacing plug member 2l disposedbetween the conductors 23 and 24; the latterrbeing provided withoppositeiy extending integral lugs 25 which are united with fiance I9preferably by means of bolts ill as shown. The inner ends of conductors23 and 2l are welded or otherwise secured to the bearing 6 by means of aboss 28 thereon which extends within the inner end oi conductor 24 andwhich has therein a recess 29 receiving the inner end of the conductor23. Bearing 6 includes mainand thrust portions 3| and 32, respectively,and lubricant conducting passages 33, 3l, Ill, 31, 38 and 38 placingsaid bearing portions in communication with the recess 29 and conductor23; the latter extending outwardly beyond the end of conductor 24 forstel-tart 31. connection with a suitable source of lubricant (notshown).

Thesupport It for the bearing l, which also extends outwardly throughthe casing portion I2 at a point adjacent and in abutting relation tothe nange Iii and is secured thereto in the same manner as the memberI4. is formed, particular reference being had. to Fig. 3, by spacedinner and outer eccentricallydisposed tubular iiuid conductors 4I and 42forming therebetween a cooling iluid passage 43 which is sealed at itsouter end by a circular sealing and spacing plug member 44. The innerends of conductors 4I and 42 may be connected with the bearing 0 in anysuitable manner, but preferably by providing a stepped boss 48 thereonwhich is abutted by the end of conductor 42 and or outer portion arecess 41 receiving therein the inner end of conductor 4I. Lubricantissuing from the main bearing portion 3| enters axially spaced annularlubricant receiving spaces 4B and 49 and ilows outwardly therefromthrough a return passage Il which communicates with the recess 41 andthe conductor 4 i. Lubricant issuing from the thrust bearing portion 32enters an annular space 52 and then ilows through one or more ports 53in the separating wall 54 and into the space 49. Conductor 4i extendsoutwardly beyond the outer end of conductor 42 for connection with asuitable lubricant withdrawing and/or receiving meansV (not shown). i

The construction andl function of the supports it and i1 tor the beatingI are identical and since the same numerals are used to designatecorresponding parts, a' detailed description of support I1 is deemedunnecessary for a complete understanding of the invention; it beingsunlcient in this connection to point out that the lubricant enteringthe spaces 48-and 49 from the main and thrust bearing portions passesoutwardly therefrom through the" two passages 5I and the conductors 4Iembodied in the supports It and i1. The outer conductors of the supportsI4, II and I1 eachvhas mounted thereon adjacent its inner end a tubularconnection 5B extending coaxially with respect to the shalt portion I ofthe rotor and toward the intermediate blade carrying portion 3 thereof;said connectors collectively supporting means designated 51 defining anannular coaxial cooling fluid chamber 5B which is spaced from andinterposed between the blade carrying rotor portion I and the adjacentend of the bearing The inner edge of the wall ol chamber 58 adjacent theblade carrying rotor portion 3 is radially spaced from the shaft portionI to provide therebetween an annular cooling fluid passage 58.Connectors i6 place chamber 5I! in communication with the interior ofthe outer conductors 24 and 42 embodied in the supports I4, i6 and I1and each conductor 24 and 42 has its outer exposed end portion providedwith a laterally extending tubular connector 6i for placing the interiorof said conductors incommunication with a suitable source ci coolingfluid (not shown).

The bearing B is preferably enclosed in an annular shell 62 which isunited with and carried by the outer conductors 24 and 42 embodied insupports I4, I6 and I1; said shell forming with the inner surface of thecasing portion I2 an annular coaxial exhaust gas passage 63 receivingthe motive iiuid issuing from the last row of blades on the bladecarrying rotor portion 3. The Inner or rotor end of shell 82 may bestiiiened by means of ribs I4 uniting same `avith the 0D- which has inits steppedY 4 posed portions of the ing uid'ehamber il. The inner endot shell B2 mounts an annular sealing and shielding disk tt which isspaced from and interposed between the means l1 defining chamber il andthe rotor blade carrying portion I; said disk forming with the means l1an annular cooiingiiuid passage 81 which communicates at its inner endwith the passage Bil and at its outer end with the annular space B8provided between the inner surface of shell B2 and the bearing a. DiskB8 may be reinIorced by means of ribsl connecting same with the adjacentwall portions of the means 51 and of shell l2. The axially spaced wallportions of means B1 may also be reinforced by spacing connections 89.Ii desired, the axial outer end oi' the bearing 0 may be connected withthe adjacent end o shell I2 by any suitable mutual reinforcing meanssuch as a disk or plate 1I having openings 12 therein for the passageoi' cooling fluid therethrough. The adjacent end of shell l2 ispreferably provided with at least two rearwardly directed cooling iluiddischarge openings 1 Cooling iluid entering the outer ends of theconductors 24 and 42 through the connectorsii iiows radially inwardtoward the bearing through the passages 2B and 43, which surround theinner conductors 2l and 4I. thereby cooling same and preventingoverheating or thelubricant passing therethrough, and then through theconnectors BB, the chamber il, the passages 59 and B1, the space I8, theopenings 12 and to atmosphere through the discharge openings 13. Thecooling fluid in chamber it and in passage I8 is in direct contact, withthe part oi shaft portion I which extends between the intermediate rotorportion 3 and the bearing 6, thereby eiiectively cooling said shaftportion and decreasing the heat ow therethrough to the bearing 8. Thedisk 6B and the means i1 defining chamber 68, provide axially spacedwall Vsurfaces and interposed cooling iiuid spaces effectively shieldingthe rotor side of bearing 6 from the highly heated blade carrying rotorportion 3. In addition, the shell B2 shields the bearing 6 from the hotexhaust gases issuing from the blade carrying rotor portion ll and formswith said bearing a, cooling iiuid space or passage B8 which surroundsthe bearing, thereby enabling the cooling fluid passing therethrough toconduct away from the bearing 6 the heat trannsrnitted through the shellB2. The supports I4, iB and I1 and the connected portions of the bearing6 are kept relatively cool by the continual ilow of lubricant andcooling iluid therethrough. The parts comprising the bearing by means 51deiining the cooling iluid chamber 58, the shell 62 and the disk 86 areintegrally united with and carried by the members I4, IB and I1 whichare in turn preferably carried by the exhaust portion i2 or the casing 4which provides in eect a fixed supporting means for said parts.

`The illustrative construction hereinbeiore described provides a compactand durable high temperature turbine structure embodying arrangements ofparts and/or' combinations of elements correlated to eliminateoverheating of the bearing and the means supporting same, therebyavoiding excessive expansion produced stresses. misallnement anddefamation oi interconnected parts. The invention is of generalapplication to bearing structures of high temperature rotary machines,and although the invention has been illustrated and described as appliedto the bearmeans l1 dening the cool-YY ing at the exhaust end of anelastic duid turbine, itsbould be understood that the invention may beapplied to one or more of the bearings supporting-any rotary machine,that-means other than a part of the machine casing may be employed asthe supporting fixed means, and that i-t is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact details o f construction herein shown anddescribed, as various modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent: A

l. In a machine having a rotor including a main portion and a shaftportion of reduced diameter, means operatively supporting said rotorcomprising a bearing for said shaft portion, xed elements spaced fromsaid bearing, a plurality of rigid hollow duid conducting membersextending radially outward from said bearing and supportingly mountingsame on said fixed elements, and an annular shield comprising a wallstructure carried by said members in interposed spaced relation betweenthe main portion of said rotor and the adjacent .end of said bearing,said wall structure including outer parts providing a fluid confiningpassage having an outer portion communicating with said hollow membersand including an inner part spacedly surrounding said shaft portion andforming therewith an axially 30 directed duct placing the inner portionof said fluid confining passage in direct communication with the innerpart of the annular space between said-structure and the main portion ofsaid rotor.

2. In a machine having a rotor including a main portion and a shaftportion of reduced diameter, means operatively supporting said rotorcomprising a bearing for said shaft portion. fixed elements spaced fromsaid bearing, a plurality of rigid hollow fluid conducting membersextending radially outward from said bearing and supportingly mountingsame on said fixed elements. an annular shield structure carried by saidmembers in interposed spaced relation between the main portion of saidrotor and the adjacent end of said bearing, saidA shield structureproviding a passage communicating with said members for conductingcooling fluid issuing therefrom inward to and along said shaft portionto the inner part of the annular space between said structure and themain portion of said rotor, anda shell carried by said members insurrounding passage forming relation with respect to said bearing andwith respect to said shield structure.

3. In a machine having a rotor including a main portion and a shaftportion` of reduced diameter, means operatively supporting said rotorcomprising a bearing for said shaft portion, fixed elements spaced fromsaid bearing, a plurality of rigid hollow fluid conducting membersextending radially outward from said bearing and supportingly mountingsame on said fixed elements, an annular shield structure carried by saidmembers in interposed spaced relation between the main portion of saidrotor and the adjacent end of said bearing, said shield structureproviding a passage communicating with said members for conductingcooling fluid issuing therefrom inward to and along said shaft portionto the inner part of the annular space between said structure and themain portion of said rotor, and a shell :arried by said members lnsurrounding passage forming relation with respect to said bearing andwith respect to said shield structure, said shell including an annularend wall sealingly suraussie main portion and a shaftportion of reduced'diameter. means operatively supportingsaid rotor comprislnga bearing forsaid shaft portiomilxed elements spaced from said bearing. a pluralityof rigid hollow nuid conducting members extending lo radially outwardfrom said bearing and supportingly mounting same on said ilxed elements,and

an annular hollow shield structure carried by said members in interposedspaced relation between the main portion of said rotor and the adjacentend of said bearing, said shield structure communicating with saidhollow members and having an inner discharge opening for directingcoolingv iiuid along said shaft portion and ,into the annular spacebetween said ystructure and the main portion of said rotor.

5. In a machine having a rotor including a main portion, a shaft portionof reduced diameter and a casing surrounding said rotor. meansvoperatively supporting said rotor comprising a bear- 5 lng for saidshaft portion, a plurality of rigid hollow fluid conducting membersextending radially outward from said `bearing and supportlngly mountingsame on the adjacent end portion of said casing, an annular shieldstructure carried by said members in interposed spaced relation betweenthe main portion of said rotor and the adjacent end oi. said bearing,said shield structure providing a passage communicating with saidmembers for conducting cooling fluid issuing therefrom inward to andalong said shaft portion to the inner part of the annular space betweensaid structure and the main portion of saidrotor, and a shell carried bysaid members in surrounding passage-forming relation with respect tosaid bearing and with respect to said shield structure.

6. In a machine having a rotor including a main portion, a shaft portionof reduced diameter and a casing surrounding said rotor. meansoperativeiy supporting said rotor comprising a bearing for said shaftportion. a plurality of rigid hollow fluid conducting members extendingradially outward from said bearing and supportingly mounting same on theadjacent end portion of said casing, an annular shield structure carriedby said members in interposed spaced relation l between the main portionof said rotor and the adjacent end of said bearing, said shieldstructure providing a passage communicating with said members forconducting cooling fluid issuing therefrom inward to and along saidshaft portion to the inner part of the annular space between saidstructure and the main portion of said rotor, and a shell carried bysaid members in surroundlng passage-forming relation with respect tosaid bearing and with respect `to said shield structure, said shellincluding an annular end wall sealingly surrounding said shaft portionin spaced opposed relation with respect to said shield structure and 55With respect to the main portion of said rotor.

elements spaced from said bearing, a plurality of rigid hollow fluidconducting members extending radially outward from said bearing andsupportingly mounting same on said fixed elements, said membersincluding internal lubricant 76 conveying ducts communicating with theinterior portionmcedopped of said bearing, and an annular shield carriedby intermediate portions of said members and disposed in interposedspaced relation between the main portion of said rotor and the adiacentend of said bearing, and comprising a walisstructure providing a fiuidconning passage having an outer portion communicating with said hollowmembers, said wail structure including an inner partsurrounding saidshaft portion and providing an axially directed duct placing the innerportion of said iiuid conning passage in direct communication with theinner part of the annu-- lar space between said structure and 'the' mainportion of said rotor.

B. In a machine havinga rotor including a main portion and a shaftportion of reduced diameter, means operatively supporting said rotorcomprising a bearing for said shaft portion, fixed elements spaced fromsaid bearing. a plurality of rigid hollow uid conducting membersextending radially outward from said bearing and supportingly mountingsame on said iixed eiements, and an annular shield comprising a wailstructure carried by said members in interposed spaced relation betweenthe'main portion of said rotor and the adjacent end;of said bearing,said wall structure including outer parts providing a. iluid conningpassage having an outer portion communicating with said hoiiow membersand including an inner part providing an axially directedduct extendingalong and parallel to said shaft portion and placing the inner portionoi said fluid conning passage in direct communication with the innerpart of the annular space between said structure and the main portion ofsaid rotor.

JOHN AIGOT JOHNSON.

